Taunted Beloved
by Trixie-Guest
Summary: Over a year went by after Ginny Weasley-Zabini’s husband Blaise died & she tries to cope, though, things seem to get difficult when her mind goes astray… Can Sirius help her get over her beloved? SBGW later on.. please RR!
1. What's Your Name?

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**Original Start: Tuesday, June 17, 2003**

**Revised Start: Wednesday, October 10, 2007**

**Whoa it's been a while… let's see if I can fix this fic up at all…**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters, only Becky and Emily, most of the characters and magical terms were created by JK Rowling, as you should know.

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**Summary:** Over a year went by since Ginny Zabini's husband died and she tries to cope; things seem to get difficult when her mind goes astray… Can Sirius help her get over her beloved?

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**Chapter One: "What's Your name?"**

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The men all raised their cups in front of them with a cheer, causing minor spillage as the glasses clanked.

After nearly twenty years, Sirius Black was free. After going through four ministers of magic, one finally came along that was able to see the injustices of the Black case and was seen to it that Peter Pettigrew was captured.

Although Britain was a slightly safer place due to the changes brought on by Crowley, the new Minister of Magic, there were those death eaters who remained free due to their fortunes and powerful connections; but all in all, today was a day of celebration for Sirius, Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, and three of the Weasley boys.

"I think I'm going to go update to a better drink," Sirius said, looking down at the remnants of foam left in his recently chugged glass of beer.

"Oi, Seri," Ron grinned, half sloshed already, "Keep an eye out for Ginny, she said she was going to come to congratulate you. She should be here any minute."

As Sirius walked into the crowd of people dancing to fast-paced music, he mused to himself how much things have changed since he was last a free man. He couldn't help but perk up to this new lifestyle the new generations seem to embrace; forget the roles of man, woman and family, and take on the freedom life offers.

As he moved through the crowd, a pretty woman smiled as she danced enticingly towards him. He couldn't help but give in as her body came closer to him; his first movements were slightly rusty, but once he zoned out completely on the exhilaration of the situation his body flowed with the beat of the music. The songs came one after another, without pause, and the dancing was all he could do to control himself from stroking her long, black curly hair.

Into the third song another woman came up to them to interrupt that the pretty dancers ride was there. The dancer flashed Sirius a smile and a wave, and was off.

Sirius continued with his original intentions of getting a drink and proceeded to the bar; however, on the way there two women caught his eye. Two red headed girls were dancing together, in what seemed to be a more seductive and intimate dance than the one he previously had with the random girl.

The one was young, probably too young to even be in the bar; the fact that she was wearing a school uniform with the shirt tied up in a knot was a sure telltale that she was too young to be there. Despite her miraculous figure and age, or maybe due to her age, the girl she was dancing with seemed to give Sirius more of a feeling of excitement. She was probably in her early twenties, and was wearing black pants with the new "in style" robes the young witches wore now, which wasn't really a robe at all. The front was laced up and cut around her ribs as the back flowed down loosely right to the ground; the material flowed as if it were silk, and with the body movements she made it created a beautiful image in Sirius's mind of her being tangled in bed sheets with him.

Both of the girls noticed Sirius and the younger one took his gaze as plea to join; she slipped her arm up to his shoulder and danced up to him as the other girl smiled playfully and did the same, but at more of a distance. Sirius moved to the rhythm of the music, but became transfixed on the girls' blissful dancing techniques.

After the song ended, the older one whispered goodbye to the other girl, and slipped her hand down to grab Sirius's and tiptoed up to his ear.

"I believe you need a drink." She said, and dragged him through the crowd.

They got to the bar and she ordered them both drinks. As they waited for the bar tender, Sirius moved to speak to her over the music.

"So do you come here often?"

She smirked and shook her head.

"This poppy scene isn't my cup of tea! But hey, if I can get smashed and dance, I guess it's not too bad!" She said, then nudged him with her elbow. "Oh look, they found us."

Sirius looked over to where her eyes were directed and seen Ron and Harry walking towards the bar from the huge crowd of dancers. He looked to her again and began to speak, utterly horrified.

She gave a smile that was with mirth, and perhaps a bit of booze.

"So what ever happened to you talking to my secretary about booking me for lunch one day, you prat? It's been two months since I've seen you!" She scolded.

Ron shrugged.

"I've been busy."

"Right." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Remus and the twins are waiting for us in a booth we got. It's silenced, so we don't have to yell over the music," Ron said, perhaps yelling a bit _too_ over the music.

Sirius finished the little left in his drink and followed Ginny and Ron to the booth, trying not to think of how _wrong _dancing is.

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A/N: Alright, so this is the beginning to the new Taunted Beloved. I haven't posted anything in quite some time… so I'd really like to know what you think about this. Please review!


	2. Odd Condolences

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**Previously: **

_"Remus and the twins are waiting for us in a booth we got. It's silenced, so we don't have to yell over the music," Ron said, perhaps yelling a bit too over the music._

_Sirius finished the little left in his drink and followed Ginny and Ron to the booth, trying not to think of how wrong dancing is._

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**Chapter Two: Odd Condolences**

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"So Gin, what's been up with you?" Harry asked, noticing her quietness.

Ginny looked over at him and smiled devilishly.

"I won the court case!"

"Revenge is sweet." Ron smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I propose a toast!"

Everyone raised their glasses.

"To my sister, who is a successful…"

"Lawyer," Ginny helped out, knowing fully that Ron had no idea what she did, although she explained it more than enough times.

"Yeah, and who is now free and single from that 'orrible bloke whom had the honor to be her husband and blew it! _And_ she is as beautiful as ever!" Ron still had his glass up, staggering slightly as he stood to give the toast a final pitch, "And to Sirius, who is also free now too, I would call you beautiful, but, its against my manly ethics."

They all chuckled and cheered for that too.

"You don't look old enough to be a divorcee," Sirius said to Ginny, trying to get past the secret embarrassment from earlier.

"I got married when I was seventeen."

"May I ask why you got divorced?"

She shrugged slightly and looked at the bottom of her glass, which was on its way to being empty.

"I didn't. He got violent one night…" Her smile faded a bit, only the falseness of it remaining, "But I got 'em back."

Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Remus' smiles faded and they looked down at their drinks.

"Ginny—" Harry said, grabbing her wrist as she was about to lay her arm on the table.

"Don't."

"I _want_ to show him--" Ginny said, and laid her forearm on the table and showed Sirius her Dark Mark, "--my wedding ring."

"Ginny, you had enough to drink." Harry said, making her put her arm away.

"Oh Harry! Don't fret so much. There's nothing that could happen to me by showing this around. There's legal documentation stating that this was forced upon me. No ministry personnel can lock me up for having it. Why shouldn't he know? He ought to know what he's getting into sometimes, should he not?" Ginny said with an airily arrogant snip to her tone. "I'm going to go fetch myself a drink, and perhaps dance. Be back in a bit."

Sirius watched her walk off into the crowd, and turned to the others in alarmed curiosity.

"What happened?"

"She killed him, in self defense." Remus said gravely.

"One night," Ron started, with a sigh, "she came to me crying and showed me her mark, saying he made her do it a few months after they eloped," Ron took a gulp of his drink, "he was raping her and putting her under Unforgivable's… the night she came to me, I went to the Ministry to let them know what was happening. She must have went back to her place while I was gone. No one really knows what actually happened that night. She won't tell anyone, not one word. I think he was going to kill her. I think he found out about her coming to me and…" He looked up at Sirius, then looked down quickly and shifted in his seat slightly.

"They Auror's that were on shift that night say she stabbed him with a plain kitchen knife, Merlin only knows how many times. They didn't believe she did it until she admitted it. They had to pull her off his body. It took a few powerful charms to actually pry her off. She was a mess…" Harry said, not making any eye contact with anyone as he spoke. They all seemed to be in a slight daze, reminiscing, all except Sirius, who was clinging on to the story. "She took a hell of a fight with the Auror's when they tried to take his body away."

"Yeah. She went nutters. She wouldn't step foot out of her bedroom for a good week. We stayed downstairs, to kind of keep an eye on her, but Merlin, we thought we were going to have to lock her up in St. Mungo's." Ron finished, with one big gulp left of his drink.

"No matter what he did to her… she loved him, and I know that she hates herself for killing him." Remus added, shaking his head mournfully.

"Bloody hell." Sirius looked at the crowd of dancing people to let it sink in. "I had no idea…"

Ron smiled hesitantly.

"Not many people do."

"She tries to forget it all by acting like…" Fred said. "Well, like it was just another court case."

Just then, Ginny apperated in her seat, her eyes wide and her skin pale as ever.

"Ginny?" Remus inquired, equally as startled as everyone else at the table.

"_Shh!_" She hissed, looking around. "Remmie, Remmie take me home. Now. Please."

"Why—"

"Ginny Zabini," Lucius Malfoy appeared by the table with his smirk painted skillfully on his face, "how nice it is to see you!" He glanced over at the others, a sneer replacing the smirk.

"Hello, Lucius." Ginny said, under the table she was squeezing George's hand. "How are you?"

"All is well. Would you like to dance?"

Ginny nodded, and scooted out, shooting a 'stay away' look to her brothers and walked off with Lucius.

"Why did she go with him? Is she bloody mad?" Sirius asked.

"She doesn't let us interfere. One time I did and…" Ron cringed at the thought, "Well I'm pretty sure _they_ taught her some pretty nasty attacks. Or else she's just nutters when it comes to punishing her brothers."

"Besides that," Fred piped in, "anyone who willingly talks to Malfoy must know what they're doing."

"Or else really, _really_ doesn't know what they're doing!" George added.

They watched her follow Lucius up the stairs, where it was less crowded.

They didn't dance, just talked in what seemed to be a very close, crisp conversation. Ginny shook her head and placed her left hand on his right arm gently, but before she completely rested it, Lucius's left hand swung up and slapped her across the face.

She didn't even flinch.

"That bloody bastard!" Fred growled. With the look that Ginny shot them, they knew not to step in.

Ginny looked at Lucius, and nodded. Lucius caressed her cheek, then grabbed her chin and made her look at him. It nearly looked like they were going to kiss due to the lack of distance between their faces. He said something else, then walked away, leaving her standing there.

She kept still for a few seconds after he was gone, then finally receded down the stairs. Moments later she was back at the table, looking as if nothing had happened.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked.

Ginny shrugged her one shoulder.

"It was nothing. He just wanted a word in private."

"We saw him hit you."

She glared at him.

"That's his way of getting his point across. Don't bother yourselves with it."

"What did he say?" Ron pressed the matter.

"He wanted to give his condolences for my husbands death."

"And he _hit_ you?"

"I can take care of myself, Ronald." Ginny hissed.

"Like hell you can! When you think you're taking care of yourself, you kill someone!"

She slapped him across the face.

"I don't think I need to tell you what point I'm getting across with that one, Ronald!" She huffed before dissapperating.


	3. Ready

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**Chapter Three: Ready**

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**Previously:**

_"I can take care of myself, Ronald." Ginny hissed._

_"Like hell you can! When you think you're taking care of yourself, you kill someone!"_

_She slapped him across the face._

"_I don't think I need to tell you what point I'm getting across with that one, Ronald!" She huffed before dissapperating._

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Ginny crawled up on a ball on Remus' couch as she waited for him to get back to his flat. Ever since her father died when she was eighteen, Remus became like another father to her. His flat was always a good place for her to go on those days when she just couldn't hold on… those days that she just needed to be around someone who wouldn't constantly question her about things she couldn't answer.

She hated it when she got like this. She wanted to badly to refuse to cry, but how could one refuse something that was inevitable?

"Ginny?" Remus asked as he apperated, not really surprised to find her.

Ginny looked up, and smiled weakly.

"I… I was wondering if I could stay here again tonight—"

"Of course, Gin, you're always welcome here," Remus said, already fully expecting her stay; the guest room was already set up for her.

"Thank you." She whispered, and hugged him once he sat down by her on the couch.

"Do you have to work tomorrow?" Remus asked Ginny.

Ginny shook her head with a sigh. Work. What a lovely thought. Although she loved her job, sometimes she dreaded doing the things she did.

"What's the case your on now?"

"I'm on a few. The newest one is a kid who killed his father. He says it was defense. Defense cases are such bloody lies." She smiled bitterly and stood up to get tea. She was at home at Remus's, already knowing where everything was placed. She spent more time here than at her own house sometimes. "They all win, too." She smirked and set Remus' cup full of tea in front of him. "I should go for Draco Malfoy!"

"Ginny," Remus said in a warning tone as she sat back down, setting two cups of tea on the coffee table.

"No, hear me out. You remember how he was always pushing Blaise around. It's the reason why he turned out the way he did, you know. Malfoy pushing him around. Remus, come on, if I were to kill him, think of how many mudbloods it would save!"

"Bloody hell Ginny, you're talking about killing someone, it's _wrong._"

"Of course it is." She smirked. "But just imagine. Avenging my loves destroyed life."

"He's dead, Ginny, let it go."

"He's dead, I'm not."

Remus sighed.

"You're right, though." Ginny said before he could say something. "I shouldn't kill him. I should let him live. Because livings harder then dying. That's what Blaise told me before…" She stopped at what she was about to say, letting her mind finish it. 'before he told me to kill him.'

'_I hate you for loving you so, Blaise.' She had cried. Blaise just laughed and handed her the knife. _

'_You don't love me.' He hissed._

"Ginny, you should go to sleep." Remus said, patting her knee.

Ginny ran a hand through her hair and shook her head in defeat.

"I don't know what to do, Remmie…" She said, unsure if she made any sense in her slight drunkenness. "Some days it's so hard to do what I'm told… some days I just want to… god I just want to come clean."

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked, having a slight feeling he knew already. The night Blaise died was a night everyone wondered about; anyone close to Ginny knows that there was something that went down that she hid.

Everyone just assumed that it was the reason why she killed him in self defense.

"God, you're right, I need to sleep." She said, sobering up, if not for just a moment.

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'_You don't love me.' He hissed._

'_Yes I do.' Ginny said, caressing his cheek. 'I love you so much, I can't bare to live without you. Please don't tell me to kill you.'_

'_Lies.' He hissed, though she knew he was just enticing her. 'If you love me, you would kill me.'_

'_Please, Blaise, we've talked about this before but…it wouldn't work! I can't deal with them alone! Let's do this together! I don't want to be alone. I want to be with you.'_

'_You can't, woman! Damn it, don't you see that they'll keep me alive forever? They want me to suffer. Are you one of them, too?'_

'_No.'_

'_Do you want me to become them? You'll be safe. They can't touch you if you just keep up with the cases. Your way of surviving is a hell of a lot easier than mine. Merlin, do you know what I had to do tonight? Do you want me to get lost in this game of hide and seek?'_

'_No. I…'_

'_Then kill me.'_

Ginny woke up in a daze, feeling slightly ill. Not from the nights' drinking, but from the sickening remains of memory.

She glanced at the clock and grimaced. It was nearly one in the afternoon.

When she walked into the kitchen Sirius and Remus were there chatting. She tried to prepare herself for what she was about to do, but found that she didn't even know _what_ she was really going to do.

"Remus… I can't stand this." She said, not bothering to think about what she was about to say.

Remus and Sirius both looked up to her, surprised by her entrance.

"What, Ginny?" Remus asked, honestly concerned. "If it was about what Ron--"

"No, Remus… I… Well I hate to be a burden. I know you don't mind me staying here, but I can't hide from everything. I have to go home, for good. I can't lean on you any more. I have to face some things that I may not be ready to…"

"Whatever imaginary things you have to face don't have to be rushed. If you're not ready, don't go back." Remus said, turning to get some food for her.

"They're not exactly imaginary…" She said, plopping down on a chair across from Sirius. "There's a lot of things no one really knows, and… I'm pretty sure I have to come clean. At least for a couple things…"

When this was admitted, Remus sat down, temporarily forgetting about the food he had prepared earlier for her. He knew what this was about, but didn't want to frighten her with his desire to know what really happened that night.

"You can tell me anything, Ginny. Neither of us will tell a soul if need be. Letting us know what happened with everything may take a load off you're back… and if you need any help, I will do as much as I can." He said, more so in an honest attempt to help her out rather than just for his curiosity.

"As will I." Sirius added, feeling in no way obligated to leave the room at this time, with this much already being admitted.

"Oh, shite, I may as well come clean with everything." Ginny said, momentarily placing her head in her hands to think it over quickly. On second thought, she figured she'd just go on with telling them, with no other contemplation towards it. If she were to tell, now was the best time. "Blaise came back from a… er, _tough_ day at work…"


	4. Truth

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**Chapter Four:** Truth

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**Previously:**

_"Oh, shite, I may as well come clean with everything." Ginny said, momentarily placing her head in her hands to think it over quickly. On second thought, she figured she'd just go on with telling them, with no other contemplation towards it. If she were to tell, now was the best time. "Blaise came back from a… er, tough day at work…"_

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"Ginny, I can't do this." Blaise said as Ginny rubbed his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

By the way he apperated to the manor, Ginny had known something had went wrong. Not a sound came from him when he had apperated; actually, the only reason why Ginny even found out he was home was when she walked into the dining room to set the in preparation for his arrival and found him sitting silently, pondering over a glass of scotch.

"Can't do what?" Ginny asked, allowing her hands to relax on his shoulders. She didn't want to sit, she needed to stand behind him, perhaps to mask her fear.

"It's come to a point where I can't cooperate. Their demands are too heavy…"

"Oh, Blaise, of course they're a bit more extreme than any other _normal_ profession. We can just play along and--"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. If they were demanding something easy I would do it! I wouldn't do anything to fall from their grace! Their power… it's just too vast to fight, but what they ask of me right now is just too much, I can not do it. What is one to do when cooperating nor fighting is achievable?"

"Darling, Blaise!" Ginny laughed lightly, and perhaps a bit naively. "It can not be worse than what you have already been forced to do! We can do whatever to keep this up! We don't need to fight them!"

Blaise turned to face her in his chair and grasped her hands.

"You don't understand. It is worse. It's far worse than either of us has done!" Blaise hissed, just barely above a whisper. "Merlin, Gin," He stood and traced his finger along her jaw line and looked intently into her eyes. "They want me to borrow you to them. They want to _play_ with you."

Ginny's eyes widened ever so slightly, but at the same time she tried to contain her fear. She couldn't let him think she wasn't prepared to do all she could to keep things up…

"No, as my wife you can not be treated as some common whore." Blaise said, straightening up his posture and discarding his softness towards her. "No Zabini woman has bed anyone without Zabini blood. It's not pure! The purity of my _family_ is at stake if I allow them this!" With a sigh, he switched back, "But… Merlin, screw purity! How can I let them take you? You're mine, love, and like hell am I going to let them have their sick, twisted way with you."

He bent his head down slightly to give her a quick, passionate kiss. The only reason the kiss was quick was due to Blaise's rushed, nearly frantic, pace.

"But, see, if you weren't mine, they wouldn't want you. They just want you because I have you. Do you understand what I'm saying? Those sick fucks, they can't stand thinking that I may be secretly happy with you. Merlin, I'm the only monogamous man in the clan! No wonder they want a taste!"

"Oh, Blaise, it's not that. They're just testing, surely! They have whores like Bell to play with, why would they want _me_?"

"Because they _can have you _if they so asked!" He growled, stepping closer to her and suddenly took her in to another kiss, this time it was softer, longer and more passionate, with gasps for air from both of them every couple of moments.

"Ginny, I'm going to ask you a favor…" He whispered against her cheek, breaking off the kiss.

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"He asked me to go to someone, anyone, and tell them that he raped and hurt me. He said to make up the wildest shite I could muster. He said he needed me to make him out to be a horrible person that I feared in order for things to work. I had no idea what was going to happen that night. I had no idea that…" Ginny sighed, looking down, then continued, ignoring her last admittance. "He never did any of that to me. The most he ever did was cast an unforgivable on me, but that was only so I didn't see what I was doing! Well, so I didn't technically _do _what I was doing. He always tried to find these ways out of things like that… god forbid I hurt someone, but for him to kill without wanting to, well he thought it was every day life. For him it pretty much _was _every day life. He never took pride in what he did, not honestly. He played the part brilliantly sometimes though. Sometimes he scared me, when he would act for them." She looked up at Sirius and Remus, almost lost in her memories. "Blaise never hurt me…"

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"Did you see him?" Blaise asked, standing up as Ginny apperated. Ginny nodded and looked up at him. "I need you to do one more favor for me."

"If I do it, will we be able to live in peace finally?" Ginny asked.

"I hope so." He said after a slight hesitation; he was so distraught Ginny barely felt familiar with him. "Ginny. Close your eyes."

Ginny laughed and quirked an eyebrow. Blaise didn't make any sign that he was kidding around or bluffing, so she wiped her smile off her face hesitantly and did as he told her.

"Give me your hand."

She lifted her hand, her eyes still closed, and he placed a knife in her palm.

"Kill me, love."

Ginny's eyes flew open and she dropped the knife, backing away from him.

"No! Are you bonkers?! Have you seriously gone mad Blaise? Do you realize what you're saying?" She looked down for a moment, the knife shocking her as much as his statement, "And with a knife?! What are you honestly trying to--"

"Damn it woman, do as I say. Kill me!"

"Why?_ Why!_ Are you not happy with me? Is this the Zabini divorce! The Death Eater's honorable way out of monogamy?" Ginny asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"You know the answer, you _child."_ He said. "I'm happy with you. But I'm not happy with _them._ This is the only way out. I cannot run, I cannot hide, I cannot do anything but die. I want you to kill me. I'd kill myself, but they'd suspect something. I want it to look like you were defending yourself. You did enough defense cases. You'll get away with it. If you love me, you'd do it, Ginny."

"I hate myself for loving you so, Blaise." Ginny cried.

Blaise just laughed without a trace of humor and handed her the knife again.

"You don't love me." He hissed.

"Yes I do." Ginny said, caressing his cheek. "I love you so much, I can't bare to live without you. Please don't tell me to kill you."

"Lies." He hissed, though she knew he was just enticing her. "If you love me, you would kill me."

"Please, Blaise, we've talked about this before but…it wouldn't work! I can't deal with them alone! Let's do this together! I don't want to be alone. I want to be with you."

"You can't, woman! Damn it, don't you see that they'll keep me alive forever? They want me to suffer. Are you one of them, too?"

"No."

'Do you want me to become them? You'll be safe. They can't touch you if you just keep up with the cases. Your way of surviving is a hell of a lot easier than mine. Merlin, do you know what I had to do tonight? Do you want me to get lost in this game of hide and seek?'

"No. I…"

"Then kill me."

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Can I at least have a last kiss?" She asked, fear tearing her insides apart.

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Tears streamed down Ginny's face and she trailed off with a fight of teary-like hiccoughs.

"I… I c-couldn't b-b-believe I did it. I c-clung to him once I k-k-killed him, w-wishing for him to c-come back…" She could barely speak due to her crying, and Remus sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"He told me… he told me that he would never forgive me if I hurt myself or the baby."

"Baby?" Remus and Sirius echoed.

"She's over two years old, Merlin, almost three! I have someone taking care of her. When I had her, we didn't want anyone to know, because if the wrong person found out…" Ginny wiped her tears away, "I never seen her since the night Blaise died. Emily." She smiled through her tears. "Blaise and I called her Emily. Oh Remus… I wish I could be a mother to her. I wish I could. I think about her nearly every day. But I'm in no state to raise a child. I'm so busy with work, and I'm single and… oh I wonder sometimes if I should just tell my brothers so they could take care of her, at least I'd be an aunt to her or something." She made her tears stop completely as she wiped the last away, "Blaise was such a great father. He'd spend hours with her, talking to her," She smiled proudly, "he hated her leaving his sight. But we knew it was for her safety. Nearly every night when we were laying in bed, he would whisper to me how he hates himself for getting involved with them."

Ginny sighed, wiping more tears away, as she thought of how they were so deeply in love. Sometimes it was a game, the way Blaise always acted like he hated her, like she was just a sex toy to him, but then when he thought she couldn't hear, he'd whisper that he loved her. Or maybe he always knew she could hear.

"But everyone thinks he's an evil, sick, bastard now." Ginny sighed. "Lucius keeps in touch with me. Keeps an eye on me. That's why he hit me… I was running from him. He hates it when people turn their back on him. But when he finds you, you can't run. You can't do anything but follow." Her voice was in a whisper now, "No matter where I am, he finds me. No matter who I'm around, he can wrap me around his finger. Blaise warned me about him a long time ago. He claimed he had a thing for red heads. I found out, after I… that he's more than just an average foe of my fathers. That brings me to another thing. Dad… his death…it was my fault. I tried to run from Lucius, and he caught up with me. Blaise warned me, though, he warned me to stay away, but not to run."

"Bloody bastard." Sirius said, shaking his head in awe. She was so calm, talking about such a crime.

"Blaise told me to find another…husband." She said the word with a frown, "So I could raise Emily properly." Ginny stood up and paced around the room and ran her hand through her hair. "Remus I can't even stand looking at a guy in that way. I see them all like… like… dogs. Just something there. You know? I don't care if I ever get laid or kissed again. I don't _want_ anyone to kiss or touch me. No one but Blaise, and fuck, he's dead! I can't raise Emily! I don't want to do it alone, and I can't re-marry. I can't." In frustration, she sighed. "Tell me what to do, Remmie!"

"I can't tell you what to do, Ginny, but, I can offer help. I'm sure your brothers and your mother wouldn't mind taking care of Emily every now and then. And I wouldn't mind. You have plenty of help, you wouldn't be alone. Re-marrying doesn't have anything to do with raising a child."

"I'm so scared that they'll find out… I'm so scared that she'll get hurt…and I'm so scared I'll screw her up. I don't know how to raise a kid!!"

"We'll protect her with our lives, Gin. Don't worry about them finding out about her." Remus said, "You could move in here, if you'd like some help with her."

Ginny lit up at the idea of officially living with Remus.

"Or you could move into my house? I have plenty of room! The Zabini manor may even need some company."

"Or that." Remus nodded. "Retirement bores me, love. I'm always here to help."

Ginny grinned, her face not yet dry from the tears.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." He smiled supportively.

"I'll even chip in on the help, if you'd like," Sirius said, which caused Ginny's grin to widen.

She hugged Remus tight, then Sirius.


	5. Emily

-1 (-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Chapter Five:** Emily

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Previously:**

_"Retirement bores me, love. I'm always here to help."_

_Ginny grinned, her face not yet dry from the tears._

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Positive." He smiled supportively._

_"I'll even chip in on the help, if you'd like," Sirius said, which caused Ginny's grin to widen._

_She hugged Remus tight, then Sirius._

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

To gather the majority of her family together wasn't difficult exactly, however it was quite queer; for years Ginny distanced herself from those who she adored most, and instead kept locked away in her office, looking over court cases and dealing with her career. Of course, here and there she would see a brother or her mother, but it was never a "get together" type of thing. So, of course there was a bit of hidden curiosity… well, in fact, most of the curiosity wasn't so hidden once everyone gathered in Ginny's house, realizing they had never set a foot in it.

The house elves rounded up a feast fit for Weasley appetites, but Ginny wasn't at ease despite the lack of effort she had to put in.

Being a lawyer, she had no problem with presenting evidence, but this was something even out of her league. Facing a court was different than facing the Weasley's. Dear god, no wonder she and Blaise agreed on eloping.

"Er, you guys," Ginny began, raising her glass. She immediately lowered it once she seen the quizzical look Ron gave her. Alright, so she was used to making toasts for ceremonial dinners at the Malfoy and Zabini manor, not speeches in front of her family. "I'm sure you've all guessed that there's a reason why I invited you all here…"

Nervously, she looked to Remus, who gave her a nod, urging her to go on. With this she tried to shut out that it was her family, and continued without pause.

"Remus and Sirius are going to reside at the Zabini manor from now on," She said, and with that said everyone seemed to be a touch more relieved than they were previously. Knowing Ginny, no one had any idea what to expect, and certainly for it not to be overly good news. She continued to speak, not letting her mother have a word in yet, "Because, ahem, well I'll be needing some help. I, er, don't quite believe I can raise a child on my own."

With this said, the tension came back to the room. Relief that seemed to disappear moments ago returned, but this time with a slight bit of confusion.

"Let me finish," She said, raising her hand up a bit in a silencing manner, again not allowing her mother to speak. Her brothers seemed a bit too dumbfounded to realize their speaking abilities yet. "Blaise and I… Well we had a child together, years ago. She's nearly three years old right now… and I haven't seen her in just over a year. I sent her away the day… the… well, when Blaise left." She paused, allowing herself a moment to breath. It seemed quite impossible for her to say that he actually died. She raised her hands, gesturing for them not to say anything yet, "She's being raised by a friend of ours, and… and I want to actually be her mother. I want to raise her. I know you probably don't understand… but I loved Blaise, and this child means more to me than anything in the whole world." Ginny smiled hesitantly, "We didn't tell anyone, because we feared You-Know-Who's men would take her. I'm not asking for you to help me, I just want your understanding. I wanted to tell you before bringing her back into my life, because I hope you'll accept her into yours as well."

The table was silent for a few moments, no one was really sure what to say. Even Molly seemed speechless momentarily.

"You mean to tell me… Mum's been bugging us for _two_ years about her lack of grandchildren, and you had one _all_ along?" Fred finally said, then popped a pea in his mouth.

Ginny let out the breath she was holding in relief.

"When do I get to see her?" Molly asked, her chest raised in what could only be taken as a sense of superb happiness.

"I don't know, I'm getting her tonight, but I don't want things to happen in a rush. I think it'd be best for her to get settled in at home, then gradually introduce you all to her… But you all must promise me something." She looked up at all of them, seriousness all over her face, "Never speak ill of my husband. _Especially_ around her."

"Gin, doesn't she have a right to know?" Ron asked, his mouth full of French bread. "It's worse to grow up and find that your father was--" He stuffed another piece of bread in his mouth, "--yffou gnow, a Deaph E'ar."

"She'll know when I feel that she needs to know. She's only two, I can't push that kind of stuff on to her. As her mother, it's my right to omit certain things until I feel it's time that she should know."

"Alright, Ginny dear," Molly said, nudging Ron to close his mouth. "We'll do whatever you feel we need to do in order for this child to have a good upbringing."

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

"Ginny!" Becky squeaked, opening the door and hugging Ginny.

Becky was the woman who was in charge at the small community orphanage a few towns over, whom went to school with Ginny back at Hogwarts.

"Oh Ginny, it's been so long… I wasn't sure if you'd come back after that night, despite what you said!"

Ginny smiled weakly.

"I miss Emily so much. I… I know it's unfair to you to just come and go, dropping her off and not showing up for a year, but—"

"It's alright. Hon, I understand."

"I… I came to take her. I'm able to give her a home, and, oh I miss her so much Becky."

Becky nodded, her smile faltering slightly.

"I read that the case was over." Becky said, then placed Ginny's hand in both of hers.

"Yes, it's kind of been… well, it allowed things to cool over, and… oh I'm sorry, I know its probably more like you're her mother than I am, and it's rather inconsiderate of me to just stop by one day and decide to take her back—"

"No, no, I knew this day would come sooner or later, Ginny." She led Ginny up the stairs. "She's been asking for you, nearly ever since she could talk. She always carries a picture of you and Blaise on her. It's so adorable, she won't leave her room without it in her pocket. She's such an organized little child!" She squeezed Ginny's hand and gave a little sigh, "I find that children with magical abilities have a stronger attachment to their biological parents."

Ginny beamed, feeling overly happy knowing that her baby knows her.

Becky led Ginny to a staircase, and as they began to climb the stairs, Ginny's heart thumped more hastily inside her chest.

They reached a room at the top of the stairs on the right, and inside of it there were three children playing with letter blocks. She put her hand over her mouth as she saw that Emily was one of these three children. She didn't have to be pointed out which was Emily; she had her fathers brilliant blue eyes.

She was so much bigger than she was when she saw her last, it blew Ginny away. She knew she would have aged, but to actually see her was mind blowing.

"Mommy!" Emily said, and ran to her, noticing her at once.

Ginny squatted down and hugged her.

"Oh Emily, my baby," Ginny said, feeling like she was about to cry. "I missed you so much."

"You're really my mommy?" Emily asked, taking a picture out of her pocket. Ginny nodded, and smiled as she showed her the picture.

"Emily, I wanted to know if you wanted to come live with me?"

Emily nodded and hugged Ginny around her neck again, this time not letting go so easily.

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

"Mommy?" Emily asked two months later.

"Yes sweetheart?" Ginny asked, sitting down on the couch next to wear Emily was sitting, with her six favorite dolls and teddy bears around her.

"Where's daddy?"

Ginny wiped a strand of Emily's bright red hair from her face and smiled weakly.

"Daddy is in heaven," Ginny replied quietly, though she didn't really believe in heaven, it was the only thing she thought was acceptable to tell a child.

"Where's heaven?"

"It's in the sky," Sirius said, coming up behind them and picking Emily up and twirled her around.

She giggled and Sirius stopped spinning and brought her to the window. "See all of those shiny stars, Emily? That's where your daddy is. Shining just for you. Like a night light."

"He knows I'm scared of the dark?"

"Mm hmm."

Ginny smiled, looking at the two, and felt a tinge of sadness that Blaise wasn't able to hold their beautiful child like Sirius was able to.

The past couple of months Ginny was amazed by Emily's intelligence and innocent charm. Ginny had never been around children, and was constantly finding herself wondering if Emily was extraordinarily brilliant, or if she had just underestimated the power of life at such a young age. Due to this, Ginny began reading parenting books, and found that the average magically gifted child seemed to be a year, and sometimes even two years, ahead of children who aren't gifted.

"Alright, kiddo," Ginny said, yawning. "Let's get you ready for bed."

Sirius set her down and she ran down the hall to her room.

Ginny was amused by the way she ran, it was so adorable, like a waddle nearly, since she was so little and had little legs.

"Thank you," Ginny said to Sirius, "I was stuck on that question…"

"No problem." Sirius gave a small smile. "Hey do you want me to tuck her in? You look beat."

"Would you? Oh, thank you… I just want to have a soak in the tub and go to sleep."

Ginny yawned again, this time adding a stretch.

Sirius nodded and patted her shoulder.

"Go ahead, Gin. I need to get into the habit of reading anyways. Why not start with children's books!" Sirius said, snatching a book on the shelf for Emily and walked to her room.


	6. Taunting Tease

-1 (-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Chapter Six:** Taunting Tease

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Previously:**

_"No problem." Sirius gave a small smile. "Hey do you want me to tuck her in? You look beat."_

_"Would you? Oh, thank you… I just want to have a soak in the tub and go to sleep."_

_Ginny yawned again, this time adding a stretch._

_Sirius nodded and patted her shoulder._

_"Go ahead, Gin. I need to get into the habit of reading anyways. Why not start with children's books!" Sirius said, snatching a book on the shelf for Emily and walked to her room._

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

Ginny sank into the large Jacuzzi tub, relaxing her muscles as she closed her eyes. The steam from the hot water made it hard to see, but she had no need to see anything.

She became tense when she heard slow tapping, which became louder, like slow clapping.

"Remmie?" Ginny asked, having a dreadful sense that it wasn't him, nor was it Sirius.

"Looks as if my ickle wife has formed a crush!" Blaise's voice drawled, echoing slightly.

Ginny took a deep intake of breath, startled by both the voice which sounded alarmingly like her late husband and the man that was walking towards the Jacuzzi, wearing his overflowing majestic robes.

Ginny's hand moved to touch him, but he backed away, giving her a disgusted look.

"Do you know how much these robes are? Bloody priceless, I don't need some wench's soggy handprints on them." He said, dusting his robe off, even though she never touched him.

A small, unbelieving, smile crept onto Ginny's face, widening by the second.

"Even if I touched you I wouldn't have believed it was you… but now that you spoke again…" Ginny stood up, and Blaise had her bathrobe in his outstretched arms, waiting for her to back into it.

She did, and then sank back into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist, bending down to kiss her neck, but evaporating before getting the chance to kiss her.

She fell back, believing she was completely leaning back into him, and she hit the floor with a sickening thud.

"Ow!" She moaned, not even thinking about getting up.

Moments later there was a knock at the bathroom door.

"Ginny?" Remus and Sirius's' voices echoed outside the door.

Ginny just moaned, trying to make them go away, but they misunderstood the intentions of the moan.

The door was magicked open, and Ginny didn't even bother to look up or say anything. She was in pain. From her bleeding head and, to a far greater extent, from her hallucination.

"Merlin's beard!" Remus said, kneeling down.

Ginny's hand outstretched and tried to push him away, mumbling for him to leave.

He picked her up, her bathrobe slightly open, which he fixed without taking notice to her body, which Sirius, on the other hand, did not have the willpower to ignore her curves.

"No!" She said, trying to pull up and out of his arms. "No! He'll leave, Remus, don't make him go!"

"Ginny, calm down, Sirius and I aren't going to leave--"

"Not you two!" Ginny growled as Remus struggled to carry her to her room. "Blaise!"

"Ginny, you hit your head pretty hard.--Sirius, can you go get the MediWiz kit?"

Sirius nodded and turned to go down the stairs, and Remus carried Ginny to her room and set her on her bed.

"Remus, no! Don't do this to me! I need to see him, you know that, you know I need him!"

"Shhh, Ginny, calm down."

"But--"

"Ginny, Blaise is dead," Remus said softly, and Ginny fell silent, staring at him with eyes full of confusion, hurt, and realization. "He's dead, Ginny, let it go."

Ginny stayed quiet.

"Here," Sirius said, setting the kit down on the nightstand.

Ginny stayed still, laying on the bed, still looking at Remus as he sat beside her, beginning to heal her wound.

"Ginny," Remus asked softly but seriously, "You haven't been into... you know..."

Ginny chuckled humorlessly.

Inside she felt as if she were dead, she couldn't laugh and mean it at the moment.

'Death is such a sweet thing when all you have to look upon is life.' Ginny thought one of the Zabini philosophies as she spoke different words to Remus, as if in two different worlds; one of thought and one of physical awareness.

"Yes, Remmie, since I now have a child, how can I live without dope?"

Remus gave her a stern look, but was glad to see that she was herself again.

"Well, just thought I'd make sure. Get some sleep though, I'm sure its much needed, you don't look so hot."

Ginny opened her mouth then scowled.

"I would say you don't look so hot either, but, I suppose I wouldn't be truthful, now would I?" Ginny said, then cheekily smiled.


	7. Curves

-1 (-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

Chapter Seven: Curves

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Previously:**

_Ginny opened her mouth then scowled._

_"I would say you don't look so hot either, but, I suppose I wouldn't be truthful, now would I?" Ginny said, then cheekily smiled._

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

"Actually, Moony," Sirius said, looking at Remus, "you don't look so great... Full moon is in three days, and you need as much rest as you can get. I'll stay with her and make sure she is all right."

Remus inhaled, thinking the offer over. It was tempting... after all, Sirius was his friend, and he trusted him with his life, so why not with Ginny's too? He needed the sleep, and besides, its not like she really needed a watch dog, but nonetheless, Sirius would be there for her...

"Fine." Remus gave in, standing up. He stroked her hand, and she smiled up at him softly.

"What, no good night kiss?" She asked cheekily.

Remus stooped down and kissed her on the cheek and she gave him a kiss too, then he stood up straight again.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell if you are flirting or if you really are that much of a child." Remus told her, and she flashed a smile.

"Goodnight to you too, Remmie," Ginny said sweetly as he walked out of the room.

Ginny fidgeted with her bathrobe belt as she wondered what to say.

"So," Ginny finally said. It was only about eight or ten seconds, but somehow it seemed longer.

"I suppose I should get into my nightclothes, hmm?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," Sirius said, but didn't make an effort to stand up and give her privacy.

Ginny tried to hold back a smile, but was unsuccessful.

"You, um, want to watch?" Ginny teased, and silently and softly laughed.

"Oh!" Sirius stood up, embarrassed by his ignorance, "Sorry,"

Ginny sat up.

"I was just teasing," Ginny said, then stood up, holding her robe closed. She walked to him and rested her hand on his arm, stopping him from leaving the room yet.

Wanting to save him embarrassment, her smile faded.

"Listen, um, what you said about Remus needing all the rest he can get, well, I agree with that. Normally, if I get freaked out or start to get paranoid, I go to him... but, well, what I'm trying to ask is, would it be all right if I came to you? Usually I don't freak out enough to need someone around, but, I never know with all this... Well, just all of this weird shite… but, if there's a chance--"

"Gin," Sirius said, with that smile of his that assured that everything is all right. "You can count on me. if anything happens, even a bad dream--you know where my room is."

Ginny looked at him in a new, bigger respect.

Sure, at first the 'if I get scared' act was of course a fake, to save him embarrassment but now she was actually considering coming to him for comfort when she did get spooked out, which some days it seems to happen a lot, as much as she'd hate to admit it.

"Thanks," Ginny said, and they exchanged goodnights to each other.

Ginny closed the door after he left, and she paused before she put her nightclothes on. Something suddenly felt wrong. The room felt different. Warmer.

Ginny rolled her eyes, telling herself that she was imagining things. But coming to realize that tonight was the first time in years that someone other than Zabini blood or relation stepped foot into this room.

"Remus," Ginny groggily growled, "I'm fine, you don't 'ave to check up on me."

His hand slid around her waist as she half-slept, his body lying next to hers.

Ginny's eyes snapped open just after she sunk into his arms, wakening at the realization of what she was allowing.

"_Remus_!" She shrieked as the hand slid downwards.

"Lumous!" She said, her wand automatically in her hand.

Before she could really see who was there, she was pinned down and the hand was on top of her.

He took her wand and brought it between them.

Ginny froze when she saw his face.

"You're defiantly loosing your defense skills, my love." Blaise whispered, and brought his lips down to her neck.

"I think I'm losing my bloody mind." Ginny breathed.

"Darling," Blaise said, looking down at her, "You were _always_ losing it."

Ginny chuckled.

"Hanging around you does that to a person."

For a moment, things felt as if nothing happened two years ago and she just awoke from a bad dream. But how could one have such a long and painful dream?

"Oi," Blaise smirked and looked down at her, giving her a look that clearly said 'lets play'.

Ginny's smile faded as she realized she wasn't dreaming, and she wasn't imagining him, and that he was dead.

She caressed his face, aching for his touch; his lips on hers.

She slid her hand to the nape of his neck, and pulled his head to hers.

Just as their lips were about to touch, he vanished.

Ginny whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut resisting the urge to scream in a fit.

"Fuck it." Ginny sighed, getting out of bed. "As if I could get a blink of bleedin' sleep in this bloody ghoulish house!"

"_You fell away, what more can I say? The feelings evolved, I won't let it out. I can't replace your screaming face, Feeling the_--" Ginny stopped singing one of her favorite songs, reducing it to a hum so she wouldn't wake anyone.

"--_sickness inside_," A voice came, in a low, relaxing tone, one like the voice of the songs artist. He continued with the song, as she stepped down the last step, curiously. "_Why won't you die?... You're blood with mine. We'll be fine..._" The words came slowly, saying each word slowly, hauntingly.

Ginny flicked the torch light on and there, looking at her, with his head bent down and his body against the wall, was Blaise.

Ginny took a shaky breath, and tried to ignore him, and walked to the kitchen.

"You're loosing it, Gin," She told herself wearily, getting herself some water in a glass as Blaise sang the song that she loved. She tried her hardest to ignore Blaise, but, damn, that voice was so relaxing, she just wanted to melt into his arms.

She looked to Blaise and rolled her eyes. He started to half sing, half hum her next favorite song.

She always did love his voice, yet, funny enough, the only time he ever sang was when he felt like aggravating her. Like now. It always worked, too. He always knew the times to annoy her, to taunt her.

"If you don't disappear, darling, I may kill you again." Ginny told her imaginary husband with a sugarcoated sort of venom. She had the glass of water in her hand, and she had her elbows against the countertop. She leant forward, her head touching the countertop's edge, between where her hands were rested, and she closed her eyes, trying to grasp what was happening. She was sure this wasn't a dream. How could it be? It doesn't feel like one...

A hand touched her shoulder. It brought a warmth to her cold skin. She knew, then, that it was no dream. The shiver, the warmth... the touch was real. There was someone with his hand upon her shoulder.

The humming was still around, but it was fading, somewhat. It sounded as if it were being blocked.

Ginny sighed.

"God damn it!" She whispered, "I think I know why you're here. I know, but I don't understand. It's like..." Ginny squeezed her eyes tighter, not wanting to cry. She despised crying. "It's like you _want_ me to hate you," She spoke it like a question. Her voice had gone weak, betraying the broken, confused girl in her.

The hand drew back as soon as she said that. The warmth faded from her.

"Ginny, I... I never realized that I done anything to make--"

Ginny opened her eyes and stood up, turning around in a flash, startling the one behind her.

"Sirius!" Ginny said, drawing quick breath. "Oh, god, Sirius, I'm sorry, I thought you were... I thought you..." Ginny paused, and looked to the wall. Blaise stood, not leaning against the wall anymore, but standing, and looking at both of them, with a look that a teenager would have when thinking that they've conquered something. Ginny frowned, staring past Sirius at Blaise and tried for the life of her to figure out why Blaise was being so devious.

"What..." Ginny asked, her voice betraying all her awe in a little crack. Blaise shrugged not so innocently, and vanished. She turned her gaze back at Sirius, who was looking back at her, concern in his eyes. "Sirius..." She said, biting her lip, trying to figure it out. She didn't even know that he was there, in a way. She just was lost in thought, in wonder, of what was happening around her. It was hard to pay attention to who was really there, when you were trying to figure out if you were imagining others.

"Are you alright, Ginny?" Sirius asked.

"No," Ginny said, nodding her head, and then realized what she said, and corrected herself, "I mean yes! Yes, I'm fine. I'm just... sleepy, I suppose? Sorry about... what I said, I thought... Well, I must have been half asleep. But thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure... It's just… I reviewed some of my cases from the past few years, and it really played on my mind. Nothing to be worried about." As an afterthought, Ginny looked to him and asked: "Why aren't you sleeping? It must be past two in the morning."

"Oh... I just heard something. Thought you left the record on or something." He said, a bit baffled that only she was there.

"Oh... maybe, accidentally." Ginny covered, "Say, um, it wasn't a mans voice you heard, was it?"

Sirius studied her face for a moment before he answered.

"Er... I'm not sure. It sounded as though it was. Hard to tell, really, it was either a man or a low violin." Noticing her look of wonder, he changed the topic, because for all he knew, she might've thought it was the Dark Lord Himself singing. "How's your head?"

Ginny looked at him, taken aback by the question, not realizing that her bandage was still around her head, with little specs of blood soaked through. The look upon her face was that of such insult, Sirius' lips curved into a mirthful smile.

He gingerly untucked the bandage upon her head, and she realized what he meant now.

Unwrapping it, he softly moved a bloody piece of hair from the view of the wound. Ginny drew a sharp breath, and smiled bitter sweetly.

"God, it feels great somehow to feel pain again." Sirius raised an eyebrow at her comment, which she didn't mean to say aloud. Dear god, how would she explain she meant that it was good to feel pain, to know that she was not completely out of the harsh world of reality?

"I know it's none of my business," Sirius began, as he tenderly attended the aid of her wound, wrapping it back up again. "But, how often did you feel pain, before, I mean?"

Closing her eyes, feeling rather relaxed at the way he wrapped her up, and remembering the certain rush that she had whenever she was about to get hurt in a mission. However evil and foul the missions were, she sort of liked them. That's why she became a lawyer. Somehow it was almost the same to her. The rush of seeing evidence. Re-creating a crime, and twisting peoples words and stories right out of their mouth. She smiled slightly at the thought of it all.

"I'll tell you over tea, one day." She said dryly after a while of comfortable silence as he tucked the bandages end at her forehead.

"It looks fine. The bleeding has stopped now," He said, stepping back.

"Are you going to be awake for a while?" Ginny asked, feeling bagged herself, but also pumped by fright to go back to sleep, which gave her an odd amount of energy.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not tired, but I'm afraid that there's much to be done tomorrow,"

Ginny's head snapped up.

"Like what?" She frowned.

"Didn't Re--" Sirius clamped his mouth shut. "Er, Remus has a date. Big day."

Ginny rose her eyebrows flippantly.

"Golly, is it ever! Gee, if I wasn't a lawyer, I'd never be able to see through that lie! Unless I was a first year Hufflepuff." She said, overly flippant. She looked at him, and then brought the bridge of her nose to her hand, and massaged it. "No matter, I'll find out whatever it is that's happening tomorrow without having to break you. But, you know, I am starting to get a headache. I better go to bed. Big day tomorrow, I hear." She smiled sweetly, and without realizing what she did until after she did it, she leaned over towards him and kissed him on the left, then right cheek, then retrieved back, nearly giving herself a heart attack.

Her eyes were wide with embarrassment.

"Merlin, I'm sorry... just... usually I..." Ginny trailed off as she stood, and Sirius said casually that it was okay.

Without looking back, Ginny left to her room.

When she reached it, she shut her door and placed her hand on her lips, wondering what made her do that. She nearly forgot that she always used to kiss Blaise like that when leaving the room.

Meanwhile, just downstairs, Sirius Black sat on the couch, baffled at the gesture, and what caused her to do it. More so, he was startled at the memory of her body against his as they danced the night they re-met for the first time in years. He wanted more than anything not to think of her beautiful curves, but the feeling of how perfect they felt against him couldn't leave his mind.


	8. Ginny's New Pet

-1 (-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Chapter Eight: **Ginny's New Pet

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Previously:**

_When she reached it, she shut her door and placed her hand on her lips, wondering what made her do that. She nearly forgot that she always used to kiss Blaise like that when leaving the room._

_Meanwhile, just downstairs, Sirius Black sat on the couch, baffled at the gesture, and what caused her to do it. More so, he was startled at the memory of her body against his as they danced the night they re-met for the first time in years. He wanted more than anything not to think of her beautiful curves, but the feeling of how perfect they felt against him couldn't leave his mind._

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

In the office located on the thirtieth floor on 202 street, downtown Wizarding London, Ginny's heels clicked rapidly on the waxed floor that led to her private office space. With the ruckus her three secretaries were making, the click of her heels didn't have the same crisp, down-to-business finality to them; rather, they had a slight desperation to them. She had to rush to her office to get things under control before Malfoy came.

Usually, Ginny enjoyed looking for files in the cabinet, it was nearly like a treasure hunt. However, she was not in the mood today.

Her client, who she 'chose' to do probono, broke down in court and confessed everything. First case she ever lost since the first week she started. Many people who 'helped' her pick this probono case weren't impressed with her, so Lucius was going to be there any minute to 'check up' on things. Not only did she have to deal with that, but she had a hearing in an hour and the client hadn't even so much as owled her for days!

So the past ten minutes, ever since she got the owl from Lucius's assistant, Ginny had been shouting demands at everyone under her employ, like:

"Morris, get in my office and make it as clean as possible! I don't want to have Mr. Malfoy feeling cluttered!"

"Bones, did you get that cigar yet? No!? Goddamn it, woman, I told you to get it five minutes ago! Mr. Malfoy would kill you, if you were such an incompetent idiot in front of him! Go, now!"

"Johnson, where is that file I asked for?"

"You idiot, Bones, where is that scotch? You know Mr. Malfoy likes that particular brand, you halfwit! Where is it!"

With all that said and done, Ginny was at her desk, glancing in front of a mirror to re-touch up her make-up spell as her second secretary, Bones, placed a nicely polished small box, containing three pricey cigars (Malfoy's brand), on the desk and Johnson searched the file cabinet for the file Ginny needed.

Ginny managed to clear the whole floor that would be visible to Malfoy of any unnecessary people or papers, so it looked to his standards.

There was a knock at the door, just as Johnson retrieved two folders from the cabinet.

Bones opened the door at Ginny's command.

Morris stood on the other side of the door, with Lucius behind her.

"Mr. Malfoy has arrived, Mrs. Zabini." Morris said pleasantly, and stepped out of the way.

"Please, come in Lucius," Ginny said, and stood at his presence, as all Death Eaters must do when an Elder Death Eater were to enter a room. "Thank you, Morris, Bones. Would you two file those papers I wanted to send?"

"Of course, Mrs. Zabini." Bones said, and left the room, closing the door behind her as Lucius walked towards her desk.

"Would you care for a cigar and drink, Lucius?" Ginny asked, as professional as ever.

"No, Virginia. I would like to make myself as clear as I can when I say that I do not have the time for the likes of this foolishness. I have a meeting in an hour, and I would like to be there early. I only managed to squeeze you in because I realize that you are reliant on me and obviously have no skills to organize your own self! Since I am due for a meeting, I will see you later on this evening. Six twenty, at your house. If you are not there, Zabini," Lucius's voice was crisp and cold as ever, as he gave her an icy glare, "well I'm sure I mustn't have need for threats. You know what will come to be."

Ginny nodded, unable to do much more as she momentarily froze. "Yes, Lucius." She paused, "So, dinner, then?"

He didn't answer her, rather he just steadied his gaze on her.

"Be expecting more than a few guests." He said. It was threat enough. Ginny nearly choked. It's been a while. She'd gotten rusty.

"Yes, Lucius."

As soon as she got in the door, she had a list in her head, of things to do.

First: go to Sirius, ask him to take Remus and Emily to the Burrow and lock the doors and call Harry and Ron to guard the area.

Second: Call on the house elves, get them to start preparing for a supper.

Third: Clean.

Fourth: Make sure all traces of Emily are gone.

Fifth: Get dressed in a dinner gown.

She was in such a panic she never even bothered to take off her shoes, so the hurried 'click, click, click' on the hardwood floor echoed throughout the house as she hurried to find Sirius and Remus.

"Emily?" Ginny called out, as she entered the dark dinning room. She nearly screamed when the torches lit.

There, before here, was a room of Weasley's and others.

Fred, George, Molly, Ron, Hermione, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Elva (Charlie's girlfriend), Angelina, Fleur (George's wife), and Emily. Remus and Sirius were of course included, also.

"Surprise!"

Ginny clenched her teeth, and gracefully, spoke, bottling all her annoyance.

"Every one of you has ten minutes to leave these grounds, and go to the burrow. Each one of you is to check the locks, the windows, and watch over Remus and Emily. You are not to contact me until I say so." Everyone fell silent. "I am having some guests for dinner tonight, and I would appreciate it if you would leave." Ginny smoothed a crease on her robes, without looking at the group.

Emily was glaring at Ginny, absolutely seething.

"We spent two days planning this, mommy!" She growled. "It was for you and you're being... you're being a git!"

Ginny's head snapped up. If it weren't for everyone being here, she would've snapped. She had no patience.

"I'm you're mother and you do as I say, and never talk back to me! Mommy has had a very bad day, and it's only about to get worse! If you all leave, though, then perhaps it won't get so much worse." Without looking anyone in the eye, Ginny curtly walked to the Elf portrait and tapped it with her wand. She was far enough away from the others to speak to the elf without the others knowing what was said.

Instantly a house elf popped out of the now-liquidly-looking painting.

"Yes Mistress? What can Beeby to for mistress?" The house elf bowed down as it spoke.

"Gather all of the house elves. Get them to clean the entire place. Mr. Malfoy will be arriving. You all know how he likes the place. All of Emily's things must be out of sight. Every bit of them! There will be no evidence that she was ever here, is that clear?"

"Yes, mistress, of course mistress!" The house elf bowed again, and left back into the painting to gather the others. Ginny walked away.

Ginny turned to go to the staircase, but met with Ron.

"What's going on, Gin? Is everything okay?" He asked, and Ginny glanced at the clock. Five fifteen.

"No, Ronald, now please leave, I must get ready. Make sure Emily and Remus are okay. I will get a hold of you as soon as I'm sure they're gone."

"They? Who?"

"Don't bother me with questions which you know the answers of." Ginny snapped. "Now leave!"

"No." Bill said, a tad arrogantly, coming further into the room, "We're staying. No way am I letting Death Eater scum be alone with my baby sister."

Ginny felt utterly hopeless. No one was just going to let it be and let her handle it, were they? She felt so helpless, she didn't know what to do, or how to get them out of the house.

"If you want me to die, and you, and you're wife, then fine, stay, by all means. If you want to kill my daughter, then fine, stay. But as long as I have something to say, I won't let that happen. But if you're so selfish as to kill us all, fine. Stay. I'm going to get dressed." Ginny said, with a mix of stubbornness and venom.

When she came down she was in her elegant flowing black robes and her hair done up with springy curls framing her face, and a few dangling down neatly down her neck. Her skin looked as pale as always, though touched up with her makeup. She wore no earrings, but she did wear a single silver necklace with her and Blaise's white gold wedding rings strung onto it. Her shoes were unnoticeable since her dress robes flowed past her feet, flowing behind her.

She was annoyed to see that her brothers, Sirius and Harry were still there, sitting at the table.

She hated them seeing her like this, but right now she didn't really care. The more superior she looked to them, perhaps the sooner she could rid of them, because she was sure they didn't like seeing her like that either.

Her eyes swept over the five men that sat before her. They all stood and looked at her, Sirius and Harry's surprise disappointed her, it felt degrading to see their faces as they looked at her, and her brothers' surprise, well, that just amused her in a malicious sort of way.

She prepared herself for a verbal fight, one of which she was confident of winning.

"Shall I show you the door?" Ginny said, dully.

"Ginny, we have made a decision." Charlie said somberly.

"Really?" Ginny drawled snippily, "Well then, I must be informed of your great plan,"

Charlie dismissed the snip and continued, "We have decided to let you be hostess of your little Death Eater party."

"--With one condition," Bill added quickly.

Ginny leaned her head back, resisting the urge to laugh at their arrogance, at the same time showing off hers.

"Yes?"

"Sirius has agreed to stay and protect you. He can stay as your butler, or something," Ron said, as if that was that and there would be no objections.

It sort of hurt, in a way, that he forgot that she was a lawyer, time and time again, and just for that, Ginny thought, there is no need for a lawyer's verbal power.

She crisply walked towards Ron, who was, to her convenience, closest to her. With a flick of her wrist, so sudden that the others hardly noticed, her wand appeared in her grasp, and she stuck him with a quick, but painful curse with two short and simple Magi-Latin words, and he dropped to the floor in sudden pain.

She crouched down to him and she stroked his face gently, as he was still under the curse.

"This is what you wish to inflict on your best mates godfather? You wish for him, or anyone, to feel the burning of every muscle and vein in his or her body? My dear, brother! I wish not to conflict pain when there is no need to teach a lesson to someone deserving of one." She spoke softly.

She stood and waited a moment before she stopped the curse. Ron sat up, glaring at her.

"You're bloody insane, you know that? Blaise probably--"

"Ron!" Harry hissed, just as soon as Ron mentioned Ginny's late husband.

Ginny smiled, fixing up in her mind the end of the sentence in a way that she knew he wouldn't have finished. Like: 'Blaise probably would smirk right now, seeing you place a curse on me'. She also smiled because now he feared her. No better way to get someone to side with you than fear. Unfortunately she learnt that years ago.

"Ginny," Sirius said, not only to stop Ron from saying anything stupid, but also to try to convince her to let him stay. "If I must I will endure pain, I want nothing more to ensure that you and your family are safe. I will not merely leave because you tell me to!"

Ginny turned to him and glared with nothing but annoyance.

"You are all asking too much of me. You are asking to inflict pain on a loved ones life, and it is clearly avoidable!"

"You are asking the same of us!" Sirius retorted, with the same amount of passion as she.

Ginny clenched her teeth.

"You all seem to forget that I have spent years in their midst and I know how to go through this as painless as possible. I am flattered by your affection and love towards me, but I will not tolerate any of this. I will not feed your ignorance."

"You don't think that I have not been in their midst before, Ginny? You don't think that I know how they can be--!" Sirius growled. Ginny was really starting to irk him with her stubbornness.

Ginny's eyes flashed with something that could have been mistaken as anger, hate, deep annoyance, or even ignorance, but not easily pegged as knowing and disgrace. Knowing that he never, and no one in this room had ever, been subjected to their pain like she had. Disgraced by the fact that she had, and no one knew, but if they kept pushing, they would.

So it was then, that she decided to let him stay, if he wished. If he wanted to, she would let him. Let him see the pain life of a Death Eater brings, and just how dangerous love can be when protecting someone.

"You're right." Ginny said, giving a nod, which everyone mistook for her finally understanding their view. "You may stay, Sirius. But all of you must leave. We must get prepared." With that said, Ginny took a few steps to Sirius and wove her arm with his and guided him upstairs to get into some proper clothes.

"I really don't understand why you have to watch me, Ginny." Sirius said, as he looked into the mirror at her as he made sure his robes were on perfect.

"I'm being lady-like. I turn my head when there isn't clothing covering up anything between your knee's and waist." Ginny said, her tone as crisp as when her brothers were there. "Besides, I must make sure you don't play any tricks."

"You took my wand away, what else would I possibly be able to do?" Sirius muttered, his mood turning sour. He didn't like this side of Ginny. He'd seen her at what he thought was her worst, but it never even compared to how she was acting now. She was beginning to remind him of a Malfoy, or even a pureblooded Zabini.

"You made your choice. You're in our world now. There is no fair, no trust, no 'nice'. I do not trust your word, do you find it so odd? I will not risk my life in your hands, Sirius Black. There is no telling what mishap could come from one of your infamous tricks. You're my responsibility now and I don't want Lucius Malfoy to think that I haven't trained those who are in this sort of environment." She took his clothes that he was wearing earlier, and folded them up neatly as she stood stiffly.

It scared him to see her like this, all the while it pissed him off. He wasn't sure who he was angry at: her, or the reasons as to why she is this way, or maybe even at himself, for being so ignorant as to think that she's fine all the time.

"Which reminds me," Ginny cut into his thoughts, "I own you, alright? There will be nothing done without asking me first, understood? If Lucius were to see a man that wasn't a Death Eater be so blunt to do even the slightest thing without my consent, he would make sure to it that we be punished, so lets try our hardest to keep the punishments at a low, alright?"

"Ginny, I know you don't want me here, but honestly, stop with the crispness! It's ridiculous!"

"Damn it Sirius, shut up! You made your choice, and you have to live with it! I don't care if you don't like the way I'm being, but I can't go on being like myself today, this isn't an act, it's a preparation! _I can't slip._ You can't slip. What you and my brother's don't understand is that I've endured _all _the pain I could! Nothing will be anything new to me! But you haven't! It will be more painful and don't think a minute that they won't inflict pain. I have disappointed them, and now I must be punished. I wish I could say that you don't deserve to be punished tonight, but I warned you! I warned you and my brothers, and you still insisted on bringing me down further. So I'm sorry I'm not as warm as I'm expected to be. Sorry I'm angry with you, because you're too stubborn to admit that perhaps I am correct!" Every word she last spoke was full of bitterness and anger. Every word to her didn't seem enough to explain. There was no way to tell him, there was no way to make him see it her way. She tried and tried, but each time it was like the words failed to defend her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, and cleared her mind almost completely, or at least tried.

"Now," Her voice was eerily calm, like the eye of a tornado, "I must instruct you on some things. First, you are to be my pet, in being so, you are under my strict control. You will not so much as go to the washroom without my consent. Do not speak when not spoken to. Do not insult them, our lord, or our ways. Do not glare. Do not touch me when I touch you, which I must forewarn, I will, even in the most inappropriate ways. Forgive me Sirius, but it is the ways of our people. Do not whisper. Make sure you are always paying attention, but do not eavesdrop on private matters. Do not, what so ever, disagree with them. If you dare mention Remus or Emily, I will not hesitate to kill you, but I'm sure of that you must know. I will give you credit for some sort of common sense."

"So I'm like your well-dressed pet?" Sirius said, turning from the mirror and looking at her straight in the eyes. Ginny looked at Blaise's fathers well made, 400 galleon black and forest green robes, and smiled devilishly.

"No, love, you are my pet." Suddenly, what she said had an impact on Ginny, because just after she said that she saw something move, by the bathroom entrance. She kept her eyes on it, without saying anything to Sirius, and as if the object was on ice and was pushed, it came up, right beside Sirius though slightly behind. Ginny tried not to look frantic, and pulled it off. But there standing before here was her husband, in a mock set of robes like the ones Sirius was wearing.

"Go downstairs and be sure to check that the bedroom doors are locked, alright? I'll be down in a minute." Ginny said, not wanting to start talking to Blaise while Sirius was still there. Just in case she really was going mad.

Once Sirius was gone, Ginny walked to Blaise.

"You've done a good job dressing him up like me, darling. I daresay do you relieve the tension the same way we used to before a big meeting?"

Ginny clenched her teeth, and brushed past her intolerable husband.

"You just don't see, do you? You don't know!" Ginny snapped, making sure to have her body in the opposite direction from her husband. "You just can't comprehend that I..." She searched for a word, just one word, to describe everything. How could she describe how she missed his touch, his caress, and his breath on her neck? What about all the teases, all the hidden sweetness of their life as one? And what of those moments they spent in this very room, those moments that filled this space inside of her, which is now empty? How could anyone put into words how she felt when he was near? How could anyone describe the pain, the bleakness... the torment, of having something she sought so much so close, yet unbelievably far away?

Blaise serenely moved so he was directly behind her, and softly brushed his fingers against her bare neck. She was nearly in tears as his cold breath reached her neck, and followed through down her chest.

"Finnish." He whispered, so faintly she wondered if he even said it, or if she just thought it.

"That I miss every thing about you, to the way you talk, right down to your breath's touch. I miss all my pet peeves that concerned you, and all the things I adore about you. Merlin, Blaise, you must know? Why are you taunting me?" She choked on a tear as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Not seeing you at all is one thing, but I am able to deal with it. But seeing you, without being able to _be_ with you? Blaise it's every bit torturous as… Merlin, I don't even know what could even compare to this!"

Closing his eyes as he tipped his forehead onto her shoulder, he bit his lip in despair.

"I know more than you think.." Blaise said, slightly hoarsely. "I know every bit of pain there is in you. I feel it too. Being like this, there is no time. Only previous choices, and the pain that must be felt from them. You cannot say I do not know. I do. Believe me, I do." There was so much more he yearned to say, to explain, yet he knew he could not. There was too much he let out already.

"Then why do you stay at an approximate distance? You aren't like a normal ghost, you're touching me. I can feel your touch. Please tell me that there is a reason, not just out of choice?"

The room fell silent after she spoke her plea. Blaise was unwilling to answer.

He retrieved his caressing fingers, his resting head, and his comforting arm away from her body, and left her standing alone.

"There is but one thing I can not understand." Blaise said. His voice was full of remorse. "Why can't you move on darling? I am dead. For the best you must accept it." With that said, Ginny turned to face him, with her tearstained face, only to find no one there.

Ginny appeared downstairs, her makeup re-applied. She clenched her teeth in dread as she seen that her company had already arrived, and had their wands pointing to Sirius.

"What is the meaning of this!" Lucius snapped at her when her presence was noticed.

"Do not worry, Lucius. He is my pet. I thought perhaps you'd find it amusing?" Ginny said, coolly as she watched Sirius get struck with a Crucio, without even flinching.

"Amusing?" Bellidrix hissed at Ginny. "Weasley, you're as daft as your brothers when it comes to amusing someone."

Ginny was about to retort a nasty little bit to her, since Ginny was now of higher rank of her. Going by the rules, she had no right to talk to anyone like that. Lucius raised his hand and called for silence before she could retort.

"Need I remind you, Bellidrix, you are on very thin ice. Don't push it." Lucius said, his voice now back at it's eerie exterior. Ginny smirked. "You shouldn't be so smug, Zabini. Tonight it is your fait on the line. If we find you worthy, all you will have to fear is a light slap on the hand. But, as I am sure you know, if I become any more displeased in you, you may be digging your own grave."

"Yes, Lucius." Bellidrix and Ginny said in somewhat forced sequence.

"Release her pet." Lucius said, as an afterthought to the one holding Sirius's curse on him.

As Lucius and Ginny entered the meeting hall, Ginny vaguely looked around to see who all was there.

She spotted Bellidrix son, who was the whole reason as to why she was reduced to such a rank. She was forbidden to bare a child. Orders from the Dark Lord Himself. She was to be saved for someone of a pure rank. She had the whole world in the palm of her hand... she was next in line to the Lord. She could have been his Queen, but being caught in a moment with a man who was not a death eater, but some chump of the streets that she fancied for an hour, she wasted her future.

It wasn't until the last 4 months did she even think to notice that she was knocked up. Being a death eater does that to a person. They lose track of all time, as if she'd notice if she didn't have her monthly for over a few months. Actually, it was precisely what happened to Ginny. It was rather shocking for Ginny to see him of all people in the same room with Lucius, Lucius being the second in command and all.

Draco was there, along with his wife, Pansy, his schoolmate chump Gregory Goyle; Kindril, some old guy that Ginny vaguely remembered working at the Ministry, two floors above her father, but none the less, was quite freakish; and the two others she could not place a name, even though she did remember meeting them, at some point in her life.

"So," Lucius drawled after he sat at the head of the cherry wood table and placed both of his hands on the head of his wand/cane, "Shall we begin?" As if his words were a hex his lips curled into a sly, sinister smirk. Ginny had a sudden rush of giddiness. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be so bad. By the way Lucius was, it seemed as though he favored her before the others.


	9. Punishment

-1(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Chapter Nine: Punishment**

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

**Previously:**

_"So," Lucius drawled after he sat at the head of the cherry wood table and placed both of his hands on the head of his wand/cane, "Shall we begin?" As if his words were a hex his lips curled into a sly, sinister smirk. Ginny had a sudden rush of giddiness. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be so bad. By the way Lucius was, it seemed as though he favored her before the others._

(-.-) (-.-) (-.-)

Sirius couldn't help but glare when he witnessed Ginny's friendliness with Lucius Malfoy. Currently she was sitting on his lap as he caressed her back in a more than controlling manner. It was positively sickening to Sirius.

Once the Death Eaters discussed some matters with her and had their fun casting painful spells on her, to whom she didn't show any agony at all, they all sat down and had some drinks and Ginny playfully rested herself on Malfoy's lap, like some sort of wench at a pub.

All the while, Sirius sat at his seat, which was supposed to be beside Ginny, and he just glared at them, trying to see if maybe it was possible to burn a hole through someone's head.

It was getting rather boring for him, actually. It wasn't as if he liked her or anything... no, no... It was just that he _cared_ for her... but he was getting rather irked by the way Malfoy's hand kept tracing along her back.

From across the table, Sirius could see that he wasn't the only one who was unimpressed. Bellidrix looked livid.

"Lucius, love, why don't you visit more often?" Ginny asked, as she tipsily leaned back to see his sober face. She felt Sirius's eyes on her the whole time, but ignored them. He obviously didn't know how to play the Death-Eater-Game.

"Virginia, you may have forgotten that I am to be someone's husband soon." Lucius responded dryly and Ginny laughed and kissed him before she moved her one leg to the other side of him, "But I may as well as you the same question. You know how much Pansy and Draco like to play with you." She nearly forgot he was marrying again. Must have been his third wife since Narcissa died.

"Mmm, but Lucius," Ginny half-drunkenly brought her lips to his ear so when she spoke her lips brushed his lobe. "You know how I prefer you." And with that, she slid her hand down his chest and rested it in an area that she knew too well. Lucius raised an eyebrow at her, intrigued.

She slid down his body, her hands following thru, caressing down his body. It didn't even take two seconds of being under the table for Sirius to stand up in a rage.

"Ginny! What the hell do you--" Sirius began to growl. The sudden loud noise was a surprise to Ginny so much there was a loud clunk and the table shook; she had hit her head on the table.

She scrambled up from underneath the table to see everyone that was remaining from the meaning standing up now, including Lucius, who was in a rage because she had nearly began a pleasuring treat for him.

"Don't _ever_ talk to me like that, you got that you ungrateful idiot!" Ginny hollered at Sirius in such a way that reminded him of Molly when she was mad.

"I can handle it, Virginia," Lucius hissed looking menacingly at Sirius. Ginny swore Sirius was going to die on the spot. _No one_ ever dares to interrupt him and a female.

"No, Lucius. I will let you have your way with him after. He is my pet, I must discipline him." Ginny walked to Sirius. As Sirius tried to recall, this was the most intimidating woman he'd ever seen.

With a flick of her wrist her wand was there and within a second Sirius was down to the floor.

"You OBEY!" Ginny growled, kicking him once as he was laying on the floor. "_Never_ speak to me like that, you got that? _**Do you understand? **__Must I inflict more pain, my pet?_" Sirius winced at another kick in the gut and at the tone of her voice. "Now let me hand you to _my _master,_ he'll_ teach you discipline." her voice was so calm and quiet, it was more terrifying than the angry Molly tone.

The basement wasn't a place that Ginny liked to show people and it wasn't ever a part of the house tour, as were plenty of "_eccentric_" rooms in the manor. But she warned him, and he got out of line, so he was taking a visit to it with Lucius, Draco, Goyle and herself (as everyone else left, due to the restrictions on their privileges.)

They had no privileges such as to see entertainment such as this. Sirius was currently being whipped a few lashes as Ginny was chatting to Draco as if nothing was happening.

"Excuse me, Draco," Ginny said, hating every word they conversed. "But I have to go to the washroom. Do make sure you don't kill him... I don't want him let off so easily."

Draco smirked and nodded, allowing Ginny left to the washroom.

She washed her hands and took time when she dried them. She dreaded going back. She was buzzed from all the wine Lucius fed her and she was dizzy at all of Sirius's blood. It saddened her, sort of, to see someone that she knew and seen every day be tortured.

But Merlin, if she did that Lucius wouldn't bother her for months. Although last year she would never even think of doing such a thing, this year she had too much to risk by having him pop by any old time. She had Emily, Remus, and her family. It almost even seemed like a small price to ensure that bit of protection!

"He did deserve it," Someone said and it startled Ginny, because she thought it was Lucius that was speaking with a sarcasm that deepened his voice, but as she turned she seen her husband, Blaise. "I mean, to think, the bastard interrupted you when you were about to _snog Malfoy's cock_._ Merlin_ what a _monster_!"

Ginny wasn't in the mood for his mockery, she wasn't in the mood to be questioning her sanity either.

"Oh shut up, Blaise, it's not like you haven't." Ginny snapped, and instantly regretted it.

_"I _wasn't mourning a loved one at the time! I did what I had to when I had to out of pure responsibility. You were about to out of sheer idiocy. What, did you think that Malfoy was going to let you off the hook so easily? Did you think that he'd fall in love with you and cancel everything? You weren't thinking, Ginny. Sirius seen that, don't you understand? Or are you too daft to see that he has dealt with such people his entire life?"

Ginny turned away from him childishly, wishing for him to disappear completely. It wasn't worth the torment. Blaise grabbed a hold of her shoulder and made her face him. He was angry, and it scared Ginny. She hated it when he was angry. He said harsh things and took upon harsh actions. As he spoke, he said every word slowly and darkly, getting his point across.

"You are drunk, Virginia, and you are being a fool. One should mistake you as a whore by seeing tonight's actions. This was not what we had taught you--what _I_ had taught you." His grip on her shoulder was making a bruise, but Ginny just stayed silent as he spoke darkly. "I taught you to do what you must for them, not what they wish for themselves." As if he noticed that he was talking and that he had a grip on her, he released her and stepped back, but not at all apologetic.

Ginny backed into the wall as she seen her husband glare at her. It was unnerving to her, to see him this mad at her. Never before had he been like this, not to her anyways.

"Go. They're waiting for you."

"You can't tell me what to do, Blaise. You waved that right when you bloody-well died and left me alone!" Ginny snapped. Without even slightly expecting it, she was slapped across the face.

Her cheek turned ghostly white, then it shaded into a blush red, at nearly the same time she realized what he had done. She raised her hand gingerly to her cheek.

"At the time I thought that my life was a good trade to save your dignity. But I suppose you _waved that right_ when you became just another of his whores." Blaise snapped and with that he was gone.

At that moment, Ginny felt like crying. Crying, crying, and crying until she dried up and died. She wanted to sink to the floor, lay down and cry. It was the first time Blaise hit her, it was the first time she actually _believed_ that he hated her.

But she couldn't. At that thought, she was even more eager to cry and give up.

Sirius was in the basement with a roomful of murders, and she was two floors up, in a bathroom that was nerve-wrackingly quiet.

Ginny bit her lip, closed her eyes, and muttered silently, "Fuck you, Blaise." Though inside she knew that perhaps he was more correct than she wanted to believe.

After an hour of playing with Sirius, Lucius got bored and left, taking his 'friends' along. Ginny bade them good-bye, and promised him to keep disciplining her pet.

She knew she had to go downstairs and let Sirius go and heal him up, but she was far too full of sorrow and fear that he would hate her, too. So she grabbed some Odgen's and sat on the floor before the door to the basement.

She drank all that was left of the Fire whisky and after a minute or so of debating with herself, she wobbly stood up. It was a bad idea, she suddenly remembered, to drink that much in one sitting without standing up, because when she did stand up, it all went to her head and she nearly fell.

She didn't bother to wait a moment to regain her balance before opening the door to the basement and in doing so she nearly fell face-forward down the 40 steps.

"L'a'mora!" Ginny tried to say, but instead all the candles on the walls lit up, and not her wand.

All for the better though, Ginny thought.

With the walls helping her on her way down, she nearly tripped on the 20th or so step, but luckily regained balance, that is, before she tripped on the 21st step and toppled down the stone stairs.

"Blah'y 'ell, Blaise, d'ya wan to kill me?" Ginny muttered as she lazily crawled on her knees to where Sirius was, in a corner.

He flinched slightly as Ginny placed her hand on his shoulder. He was slumped against the wall, leaning his back on it. Blaise's fathers robes were torn and bloody, revealing Sirius's torn flesh.

"Merlin, I'm s' sorry," Ginny said, and buried her head in his lap as she clutched onto Sirius's clothes. She began to cry, just as she had wanted to ever since she seen Blaise.

Sirius was nearly unconscious; he couldn't do much other than let her cry on him. So Ginny cried herself into a fitful sleep full of emotionally excruciating dreams, curled up on Sirius as if she were his loyal pet.


End file.
